March 9, 2006, Introduced by Senators KUIPERS, VAN WOERKOM, CASSIS, LELAND, HAMMERSTROM, SIKKEMA, ALLEN, CLARK-COLEMAN, THOMAS, JOHNSON and PATTERSON and referred to the Committee on Education.
A bill to amend 1976 PA 451, entitled
"The revised school code,"
(MCL 380.1 to 380.1852) by adding section 1278a.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
Sec. 1278a. (1) Beginning with pupils entering grade 8 in
2006, and subject to subsection (3), the board of a school district
or board of directors of a public school academy shall not award a
high school diploma to a pupil unless the pupil meets all of the
following:
(a) Has completed all subject area assessments under section
1279 or the Michigan merit examination under section 1279g, as
applicable to the pupil under section 1279g, or has participated in
the MIAccess assessments for pupils needing special education
services.
(b) Has successfully completed the credit requirements of the
Michigan merit curriculum before graduating from high school. The
credit requirements of the Michigan merit curriculum are as
follows:
(i) At least 4 credits in English language arts that are
aligned with subject area content expectations developed by the
department. All of these credits shall include at least writing,
speaking, representing, reading, listening, viewing, literature,
culture, and language.
(ii) At least 4 credits in mathematics that are aligned with
subject area content expectations developed by the department,
including completion of at least algebra I, geometry, and algebra
II, in that sequence, and an additional mathematics course, which
may be satisfied by completing trigonometry, statistics,
precalculus, calculus, applied math, accounting, business math, or
a retake of algebra II. If a pupil successfully completes a credit
in algebra I or algebra II before entering high school, the pupil
shall be given high school credit for that credit. Each pupil must
successfully complete at least 1 mathematics course during grade
12.
(iii) At least 3 credits in science that are aligned with
subject area content expectations developed by the department,
including completion of at least Earth science, biology, and
chemistry or physics, in that sequence. If a pupil successfully
completes 1 or more of these science credits before entering high
school, the pupil shall be given high school credit for that
credit. The legislature strongly encourages pupils to complete an
additional credit in science, such as forensics, environmental
science, geology, physics or chemistry, physiology, or
microbiology.
(iv) At least 3 credits in social science that are aligned with
subject area content expectations developed by the department,
including completion of at least 1 credit in United States history,
1 credit in world history, 1/2 credit in economics, and the civics
or government course described in section 1166(2). The history
credits shall include geography.
(v) At least 1 credit in health and physical education that is
aligned with guidelines developed by the department.
(vi) At least 1 credit in visual arts, performing arts, or
applied arts, as defined by the department, that is aligned with
guidelines developed by the department.
(c) Has successfully met the elective course credit
requirements established by the school district or public school
academy under subsection (5).
(d) Meets either of the following, as determined by the school
district or public school academy:
(i) Has successfully completed at least 1 course or learning
experience that is presented online, as defined by the department.
(ii) The pupil's school district or public school academy has
integrated an online experience throughout the high school
curriculum by ensuring that each teacher of each course that
provides the required credits of the Michigan merit curriculum has
integrated an online experience into the course.
(2) In addition to the requirements under subsection (1),
beginning with pupils entering grade 9 in 2009, the board of a
school district or board of directors of a public school academy
shall not award a high school diploma to a pupil unless the pupil
has successfully completed during grades 9 to 12 at least 2
credits, as determined by the department, in a language other than
English, or the pupil has successfully completed during grades K to
8 course work or other learning experiences that are substantially
equivalent to 2 credits in a language other than English, based on
standards developed by the department. For the purposes of this
subsection, all of the following apply:
(a) American sign language is considered to be a language
other than English.
(b) The pupil may meet all or part of this requirement with
online course work.
(3) For the purposes of this section, the department shall do
all of the following:
(a) Develop and implement subject area content expectations
that apply to the credit requirements of the Michigan merit
curriculum that are required under subsection (1)(b)(i) to (iv) and
develop and implement guidelines for the credit requirements of the
Michigan merit curriculum that are required under subsection
(1)(b)(v) and (vi) and for the online course or learning experience
under subsection (1)(d). All of the following apply to these
expectations and guidelines:
(i) The department shall complete the development of the
subject area content expectations that apply to algebra I and Earth
science and the guidelines for the online course or learning
experience under subsection (1)(d) not later than August 1, 2006.
(ii) The department shall complete development of the subject
area content expectations or guidelines that apply to each of the
other credits required in the Michigan merit curriculum under
subsection (1)(b) not later than 1 year before the beginning of the
school year in which a pupil entering high school in 2007 would
normally be expected to complete the credit.
(iii) If the department has not completed development of the
subject area content expectations that apply to a particular credit
required in the Michigan merit curriculum under subsection (1)(b)
by the date required under this subdivision, a school district or
public school academy may align the content of the credit with
locally adopted standards.
(b) Not later than 3 years after the effective date of this
section, develop or select and approve assessments that may be used
by school districts and public school academies to determine
whether a pupil has successfully completed a credit required under
the Michigan merit curriculum. The assessment for each credit shall
measure a pupil's understanding of the subject area content
expectations or guidelines that apply to the credit. The department
shall develop or select and approve an assessment for each of the
following credits: algebra I, geometry, algebra II, Earth science,
biology, physics, chemistry, grade 9 English, grade 10 English,
grade 11 English, grade 12 English, world history, United States
history, economics, and civics/government.
(c) Develop and implement standards and models for twenty-
first century teaching and learning skills required to be included
in elective courses under subsection (6).
(d) Develop standards for determining whether course work or
other learning experiences during grades K to 8 are substantially
equivalent to 2 credits in a language other than English.
(4) The requirements of subsection (1) are subject to all of
the following:
(a) The parent or legal guardian of a pupil who has completed,
or is about to complete, at least the first semester of grade 11
and at least 2-1/2 years of the Michigan merit curriculum may
request a modification of the mathematics or science credit
requirements under subsection (1)(b)(ii) and (iii) for the pupil. If a
pupil requests modification under this subdivision, the pupil's
school district or public school academy shall work with the
pupil's parent or legal guardian to develop an individualized
learning plan for the pupil. The pupil may then complete a
curriculum designed through this process and specified in the
individualized learning plan even if it does not meet the
mathematics or science credit requirements of subsection (1)(b).
However, the algebra II requirement may be modified only if the
pupil either successfully completes the same content as algebra II
over 2 years, with a credit awarded for each of those years, or the
pupil enrolls in a formal career and technical education program or
curriculum. If a pupil is at least age 18 or is an emancipated
minor, the pupil may act on his or her own behalf under this
subdivision.
(b) If a pupil receives special education services, the
pupil's individualized education program, in accordance with the
individuals with disabilities education act, title VI of Public Law
91-230, shall identify the appropriate course or courses of study
and identify the supports, accommodations, and modifications
necessary to allow the pupil to progress in the Michigan merit
curriculum required under subsection (1), or in an individualized
learning plan as provided under this subsection, and meet the
requirements for a high school diploma.
(5) The board of a school district or board of directors of a
public school academy that operates a high school shall ensure that
each pupil is offered the curriculum necessary for the pupil to
meet the curricular requirements of subsection (1). The board or
board of directors may provide this curriculum by providing the
credits specified in subsection (1), by using alternative
instructional delivery methods such as alternative course work,
humanities course sequences, career and technical education,
industrial technology courses, or vocational education, or by a
combination of these.
(6) The board of a school district or board of directors of a
public school academy that operates a high school shall establish a
number of elective course work credits that each pupil must
successfully complete to earn a high school diploma. The board or
board of directors shall ensure that each elective course offered
by the high school includes at least 1 of the following twenty-
first century teaching and learning skills according to standards
and models developed by the department:
(a) Global literacy.
(b) Civic literacy.
(c) Financial, economic, and entrepreneurial literacy.
(d) Information and communications technology literacy.
(e) Learning skills.
(7) Beginning in the 2006-2007 school year, the board of a
school district or board of directors of a public school academy
that operates grade 7 shall ensure that all pupils in grade 7 are
provided with a career pathways program or similar career
exploration program.
(8) The board of a school district or public school academy
shall ensure that all components of the curricular requirements
under this section are taught by highly qualified teachers,
consistent with the requirements of the no child left behind act of
2001, Public Law 107-110.
(9) If a school district or public school academy is unable to
implement all of the curricular requirements of this section for
pupils entering grade 9 in 2007 or is unable to implement another
requirement of this section, the school district or public school
academy may apply to the department for permission to phase in 1 or
more of the requirements of this section. To apply, the school
district or public school academy shall submit a proposed phase-in
plan to the department. The department shall approve a phase-in
plan if the department determines that the plan will result in the
school district or public school academy making satisfactory
progress toward full implementation of the requirements of this
section. If the department disapproves a proposed phase-in plan,
the department shall work with the school district or public school
academy to develop a satisfactory plan that may be approved.
(10) For the purposes of this section, all of the following
apply:
(a) A pupil is considered to have completed a credit if the
pupil successfully completes the subject area content expectations
or guidelines developed by the department that apply to the credit.
(b) A school district or public school academy shall base its
determination of whether a pupil has successfully completed the
subject area content expectations or guidelines developed by the
department that apply to a credit at least in part on the pupil's
performance on the assessment developed or selected by the
department under subsection (3)(b) or on an assessment developed or
selected by the school district or public school academy that
measures a pupil's understanding of the subject area content
expectations or guidelines that apply to the credit.
(c) A school district or public school academy shall also
grant a pupil a credit if the pupil earns a qualifying score, as
determined by the school district or public school academy, on
either the assessment developed or selected for the subject area by
the department under subsection (3)(b) or on an assessment
developed or selected by the school district or public school
academy that measures a pupil's understanding of the subject area
content expectations or guidelines that apply to the credit.